Abbey

Abbey is an English feminine name that originated as a pet form of Abigail, itself derived from the Hebrew name Avigayil, meaning father's joy or father is rejoicing. The name gained widespread use in English-speaking countries alongside Abigail, particularly from the 17th century onward following Puritan adoption of Old Testament names. Abbey functions both as an independent given name and as an informal short form, with Abbie and Abby serving as common spelling variants.